Miscellaneous Information

This section contains information on overpayments, lost
or stolen debit card, fraud, and the reporting of fraud. The following questions
and answers have been selected to help you better understand the Unemployment
Compensation Claim (UC) process and to become more comfortable with the
terminology. These questions are targeted towards individuals filing their
first unemployment claim.

You will be asked to enter your Personal Identification Number (PIN)
to make sure your personal information is secure. For online inquiries, you will have to input your Username.

The following is general information
only and does not have the force and effect of law, rule or regulation.

Q. I lost my debit card or it was stolen.
What should I do?

Immediately report a lost or stolen card by calling Al Vantage Customer Support at 1-866-295-2955. As long as the lost or stolen card is reported immediately, you will not be responsible for any unauthorized merchant charges.

Q. I found a lost debit card and believe there is money left on the account.
Is it okay to go ahead and use it?

Yes, as long as you have not already requested a replacement card. If you have already requested a replacement for a lost/stolen card, destroy the old card you have found, as it is no longer valid. To verify the balance left on the card you have found call AL Vantage Customer Support at 1-866-295-2955 or go online to AL Vantage Debit Card Account to obtain this information.

Q. One of my relatives passed away with a balance on the debit card. What should I do?

Contact the Legal Division of ADOL at (334) 242-8376. They will instruct you on how to file for the
benefits which are owed to the deceased.

Q. I would like to request a Form 1099G to be
sent to me telling me how much unemployment compensation I drew last year.

The Form 1099G is available online for the current tax year, and the five previous tax years. To access the Form 1099G for these years, you may Click Here to print a copy. For information on benefits paid prior to these tax years, you may either send a written request to Alabama Department of Labor, Room 2225,649 Monroe Street, Montgomery, AL 36131, or fax the request to (334) 242-2304. Your request should include your name, social security number, the year you are requesting, and your signature. Please provide your current mailing address or a fax number where you would like the Form 1099G to be returned.

Q. The amount shown on my Form 1099G does not
agree with my records of what I drew in unemployment last year.

The Form 1099 is based on the date the payment(s) were issued, not the date received. A payment issued in late December might not be received until January. NOTE: Any payments that are used to offset an overpayment will appear as payments to your claim on the Form 1099. Click Here for information regarding overpayments and how to pay the money back.

Q. How can I request written information about my claim?

If you need any written information from your Unemployment Claim for the purpose of Department of Human Resources (DHR) applications, a Mortgage, loan, etc., you will need to complete the Form 480. Be sure to follow all instructions on the Form 480. Complete the form and state the purpose for the request, have your signature notarized, include a $10 money order payable to ADOL and mail to the Central Cashier. To print a copy of the Form 480, please Click Here

Q. Report Fraud: Where do I report that my employer is not withholding taxes (paying cash or giving me a 1099)?

Q. Can I have Federal withholding taxes taken
out of my unemployment payments?

Yes, beginning January 1, 1997, you have the option of having Federal
Withholding taxes withheld at the current rate of 10%.

Q. What will happen if I draw unemployment
benefits while I am working?

You may be charged with an overpayment of unemployment benefits which
you will have to repay before any further or future benefits can be paid
to you. You may also be disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits.
If you are working and drawing benefits, it will be discovered through
a periodic audit of your unemployment claim for benefits. Your claim for
unemployment benefits may be audited, even after your claim ends. Your
claim is audited by comparing any weeks in which you were paid benefits
with any wages reported by your employer during the same time period.

Q. If I have an overpayment, how can I pay the
money back?

If you are currently eligible to draw unemployment benefits, each week of unemployment benefits will be offset (taken) automatically, as you claim each week until the full amount of the overpayment has been repaid. Any payments used to offset an overpayment will appear on your Form 1099G for year the payments were collected. Overpayments due to fraud cannot be offset. You will not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits until the fraudulent overpayment(s), penalty, and interest have been repaid in cash or income tax offsets.

Otherwise, you may repay the full overpaid amount or contact Benefit Payment Control at 1-800-392-8019 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to arrange to make monthly payments. Payments can be made online at Labor.Alabama.gov. Select ‘Online Services”, then select “Unemployment Services” or via personal check, money order, cashier’s check payable to Alabama Department of Labor and mailed to Alabama Department of Labor, Attention: Benefit Payment Control, 649 Monroe Street, Montgomery, AL 36131. Do not forward cash through the mail. Overpayments may also be withheld from State and Federal Income Tax refunds.

Q. Can I request a waiver of repayment of my
overpayment?

Yes. If the overpayment is no fault of your own, a request for waiver of
repayment of the overpayment may be approved by the Director. All requests
for waiver of repayment of the overpayment must be made in writing by
completing a waiver questionnaire and returning the completed questionnaire
to the department for review. Waiver questionnaires may be obtained from
the address shown below. Overpayments determined
to result from fraudulent intent or appeal reversals will not be waived.

Q. Can I be charged with fraud if I claim
unemployment benefits while working?

Fraud is a willful intent to make a false statement, or misrepresentation
or willfully failing to disclose a material fact in order to obtain any
benefit payment. This means that anyone who is found to claim as much
as one week of benefits with intent to willfully defraud the state may
be charged with fraud. This may be determined either by failing to report
earnings while working or failing to report a separation from your job
in order to obtain unemployment benefits.

Q. What are the penalties for committing fraud
while drawing unemployment benefits?

You will be charged with an overpayment of unemployment benefits, which
you will have to repay in full before any further or future unemployment
benefits can be paid to you. A fraud penalty may also be assessed against
your current and/or next subsequent claim for unemployment benefits. This
penalty may be a monetary amount of not less than four times your weekly
benefit amount and not more than your maximum benefit amount deducted
from your maximum benefit amount. A warrant for your arrest may be filed
with the county sheriff in the county which you reside, for committing
the act of fraud. The Unemployment Insurance Law provides that anyone
found to have committed fraud in claiming unemployment benefits, whether
such payment or benefit is received or not, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
If you are convicted in a court of law, each conviction is punishable
by a fine of not less than $50 and not more than $500, or imprisonment
for not longer than 12 months, or both. Each week claimed shall constitute
a separate and distinct offense. A person convicted of fraud is disqualified
from voting under Alabama Law.

Q. If I suspect that someone is drawing unemployment
benefits while working, how can I report it to the department?

You may report any incidence of suspected fraud or someone working while
drawing benefits through our Fraud Hotline, a toll free number 1-800-392-8019
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. All
reported incidents will be investigated. You are not required
to reveal your identity.

Q. What is the Alabama New Hire
program?

This is a registry for reporting newly hired employees, recalled workers,
and job refusals. Its purpose is to combat fraud and keep employer tax
rates from rising. For more information call the New Hire Unit at (334) 353-8491
or FAX (334) 242-8956.